Game apparatus



Aug. 7, 1962 w. H. SCHAPER GAME APPARATUS Filed May 11, 1961 INVENTOR. WLLIAM H. czmpzz wiwmm pam- ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,048,402 GAR1E APPARATUS William H. Schaper, Minneapolis, Minn, assignor to SchaperManufacturing Company, Inc, Minneapolis, Minn, a corporation ofMinnesota Filed May 11, 1961, Ser. No. 109,350 11 Claims. (Cl. 27311)This invention relates to game apparatus and more particularly itrelates to game apparatus for use in a game of skill in which playerscompete in attempting to direct a ball from an exposed deck into aselected one of a plurality of concealed runways.

it is contemplated as a general object of this invention to provide anovel game of skill which will be highly enjoyed by players of all ages.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel game apparatusthrough the use of which players may compete in skill, finesse andjudgment.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel game apparatus inwhich players can compete in attempting to direct a ball from an exposeddeck into a selected one of a plurality of concealed runways.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fullyappear from the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawings wherein like character references refer to thesame or similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of my novel game apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view on a reduced scale with the upper deck thereofremoved and with certain other omitted parts being indicated by dottedline configuration;

FIG. 3 is a transverse section taken approximately along line 3-3 ofFIG. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the upper ball-directing member;

PEG. 5 is a top plan View of the lower ball-directing member; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary detailed plan View of the portion of the gameapparatus indicating certain parts thereof.

Referring now to the drawings, and specifically FIG. 1, it will be seenthat my novel game apparatus, designated in its entirety by thereference numeral 10, is comprised of a housing including opposed sidewalls 11 and 2 respectively and opposed end walls 13 and 14respectively. The housing also includes an upper deck 15 which isgenerally horizontally disposed. The upper deck 15 has a platform 16aiiixed to the upper surface thereof and projecting upwardly therefromand this platform 16 includes a peripheral wall 17 and an upper wallelement 18. It will be noted that platform 16 has an elongate curvedinclined runway 19 formed therein and that this runway 19 is ofgenerally channel shaped configuration. It will be noted that the runway19 has upstanding opposed wall elements and the innermost wall element17a has an opening 24 therein which communicates with the interior ofthe game apparatus housing.

An impeller member 21 is pivotally mounted on the upper deck 15 by meansof a pivot pin 22 for substantially horizontal pivoting movement of theimpeller memher about a substantially vertical axis, as best seen inFIG. 6. It will be noted that the impeller member 21 is provided with anupstanding L-shaped impeller element including a leg 23 and the leg 24integrally joined together. Impeller member 21 is also provided with alaterally extending substantially horizontally disposed arm 25 which ismovable into overlying relation with an aperture 15a formed in the upperdeck. An upstanding actuator tab 26 is aifixed to the impeller member 21to facilitate pivoting of the member.

Referring now to FIG. 2, it will be seen that my novel game apparatus 10includes a lower deck 27 integrally formed with the walls of the gameapparatus housing and being disposed below the upper deck 15. It will benoted, as best seen in FIG. 3, that the lower deck 27 is inclineddownwardly from the side wall 11 towards the side wall 12 and projectsoutwardly beyond the side Wall 12. It is also pointed out that theentire game apparatus may be constructed of a suitable rigid plasticwhich is preferably translucent color so that the lower deck 27 isconcealed from the participants of the game. It will also be noted thatthe portion of lower deck 27 which projects outwardly beyond the sidewall 12 is provided with an upstanding peripheral flange 28 also clearlyshown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, it will be seen that the lower deck 27is provided with an upstanding transverse wall element 29 which isdisposed in generally parallel relation with the side Walls 11 and 12respectively and which extends from the end wall 13 and terrninatesapproximately centrally of the general length of the game apparatushousing. A wall element 30 extends from the inner terminal portion ofthe transverse Wall element 29 and is jointed at its other end to theside wall 12. A short wall element 31 extends from the end wall 13 tothe side wall 12 but is spaced from the wall element 30. A pair ofintermediate wall elements 32 are positioned between the wall elements30 and 31, the latter comprising outer wall elements and it will be seenthat these wall elements 30, 31 and 312 cooperate with the lower deck 27to define runways 33, 34 and 35. It will be noted that the wall elements32 extend beyond the side Wall 12 and are joined with the peripheralflange 28 of the lower deck 27. It will also be seen that the side wall12 is suitably apertured as at 33a, 34a and 35a respectively so that therunways '33, 34 and 35 communicate with the exterior of the housing.Actually, the extension of the lower deck 27 together with side wall 12and the upstanding peripheral flange: 28 constitute extensions ofrunways 33, 34 and 35'.

It will be noted that the end wall 13 has its central portion 13a offsetinwardly with opposite ends thereof 13!) diverging outwardly from thecentral portion 13a. The central portion is provided with a central slotand is also provided with an arcuate bulge 13d as best seen in FIG. 1and FIG. 2. The central portion 14a of the end wall 14 is also offsetinwardly and opposite end portions 14b of the wall 14 diverge outwardlyfrom the central portion and are joined to the side walls 11 and 12respectively. The central portion 14a of the wall 14 is also providedwith a slot 140, as best seen in FIG. 3, and the central portion has anarcuate bulge 14d projecting outwardly therefrom as best seen in FIG. 2.

Referring again to FIGS. 2 and 3, it will be seen that the offsetportion 14a of the end wall 14 has an inwardly extending substantiallyhorizontally disposed bracket member 36 spaced above the lower deck 27and having a pivot pin 37 aflixed thereto and extending upwardlytherefrom. A pivot pin 37 is provided with a reduced end portion 38, asbest seen in FIG. 3, the function of which will be describedhereinbelow.

Means are also provided for causing a ball element or the like, impelledthrough the opening 20, to be directed into one of the runways 33, 34 or35 respectively. To this end, my novel game apparatus includes aballdirecting mechanism which includes a substantially flat lowerball-directing member 39 which may also be constructed of suitable rigidplastic material and which is provided with an aperture 40 adjacent oneend thereof through which a pivot pin 37 is inserted. The lower balldirecting member 39 is also provided with an actuating extension 41which projects through the slot 130 and has a depending grip 41adepending therefrom. This lower ball-directing member is also providedwith a pair of openings 42 which are arranged in staggered relation asclearly seen in FIG. 5. It will also be noted that one side of theirregularly shaped ball directing member 39 is recessed as at 43 andthat the end portion of the ball-directing member adjacent the actuatingextension 41 is also arcuately recessed as at 44. An upstanding tab 45is affixed to the lower ball-directing member 39 and in close proximityto one of the openings 42. The lower ball-directing member also includesa laterally projecting, indicia-bearing arm 46 which has the indicia orwords Rock, Paper, Scissors printed thereon.

The ball-directing mechanism also includes an upper ball-directingmember 47 which is provided with an aperture 48 somewhat smaller thanthe aperture 4th: in the lower ball-directing member 39 and throughwhich the reduced portion 38 of pivot pin 37 extends. Thus, it will beseen that the upper ball-directing member 47 is mounted in superimposedinterengaging relation upon the lower ball-directing member 39 and isshiftable relative thereto. The upper ball-directing member 47 isprovided with an actuating extension 4% which projects outwardly throughthe slot 140 and the end wall 14. The upper ball-directing member 47which is of substantially channel-shaped configuration has upstandingside wall elements and it will be noted that the lower Web portion hasan elongate recess 51 formed therein. The upstanding side wall elements50 are also interconnected adjacent their respective ends by a small topweb 52 and it will be noted that the upper ball-directing member 47 isprovided with an indicia bearing arm 53 which projects laterallytherefrom. This arm 53 also bears the indicia Rock, Paper, Scissors andhas an arcuate outer end. The outermost terminal portion 46a of theindicia bearing arm 46' for the lower ball-directing member 39 extendsupwardly above the general plane of the arm 46 and has an arcuate inneredge. This inner edge accommodates the arcuate terminal portions of theindicia bearing arm 53 of the upper balldirecting member 47. It will benoted that while the indicia bearing arm 53 of the upper ball-directingmember 47 is disposed upon the indicia bearing arm 46 of the lowerball-directing member 39, the latter is supported by a small bracketplatform 11a integrally formed with the side wall 11 as best seen inFIG. 3.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the arcuate bulge13d of the end wall 13 and the arcuate bulge 14d of the end wall 14 areeach provided with the indicia, Rock, Paper and Scissors and that theactuating handle for the respective upper and lower balldirectingmembers also function as a pointer element.

When playing the game, players will be positioned at adjacent ends 13and 14 and it will be noted that the upper deck 13 overhangs the arcuatebulges of the end walls and the indicia associated therewith and alsoconceals the actuating extension of each of the ball-directing members.

The game is played with a playing ball element indicated by thereference character B and the purpose of the game is to win more of theball elements than the opposing player. When a ball, after beingimpelled through the opening 20, is discharged into the runway closestad jacent the player, that player then wins the ball element. Eachplayer, therefore, manipulates his associated balldirecting memberbefore the ball is impelled by the impeller through the opening 20. Ifone pointer extension points toward Paper and the other pointer isdirected toward Rock, then the ball element is discharged into therunway of the player having his pointer extending forward to Paper. Ifthe pointers are on Rock and Scissors, respectively, then the ballelement will be iii discharged into the runway closest the player whoselected Rock. However, if the pointers are on Scissors and Paper, theball will be discharged into the runway adjacent the player selectingScissors. The player winning the most ball elements, of course, wins thegame. Therefore, if the player adjacent the end wall 13 positions theextension pointer towards Paper and the player adjacent the end wallportion 14 positions his pointer adjacent the Scissors then the ballwill be discharged into runway 33 and through the aperture 33a in theside wall 12. If the player adjacent the end wall 13 had positioned hispointer towards Paper and his opponent had positioned his actuatingextension pointer towards .ock, then the ball would have been dischargedonto runway 35. If both of the players have their respective actuatorextension pointers directed towards Paper, for example, the ball elementwill be discharged into runway 34 and neither player will win the ball.It will be seen that the particular positioning of the actuatorextension causes the upper ball-directing member 47 to be so disposedupon the lower ball-directing member 39 that the ball element will beguided and discharged through one of the openings 42 in the lowerball-directing member 39 or be directed for discharge from the recessterminal portions 44 or the recessed side 43 of the lower ball-directingmember.

When the game is played, the ball element will be positioned in therunway 19 and will be allowed to roll down the runway since the latteris inclined and will encounter the leg 24 of the impeller 21. In thisconnection, the arm 25 will be disposed in overlying relation withrespect to the aperture 1511 so that the particular indicia on theindicia-bearing arms 46 and 53 of the upper and lower ball-directingmembers respectively will be concealed. The tab 26 will be pivoted aboutthe pivot pin 22 and the ball will be impelled through the opening andwill fall upon the upper ball-directing member and will be directedbetween the upstanding side wall elements 50 thereof and then will fallthrough the aperture 51 in the upper ball-directing member. In thisconnection, it will be noted that if the upper ball-directing member ispositioned laterally of the openings 42 in the lower balldirectingmember, the lower ball-directing member cooperates with the upperball-directing member so that the ball will be discharged through one ofthe recesses 44 in the terminal portion of the lower ball-directingmember. When the game is played, it will be noted that the actuatingextensions and the respective indicia associated with the actuatingextensions of each of the ball-directing members will be concealed fromopposing players so that one player will attempt to outguess andoutmaneuver his opponent.

It will be seen from the preceding paragraphs that I have provided agame apparatus which is not only novel but one which may be enjoyed bychildren and adults.

It will also be noted from the foregoing description that through theuse of my novel game apparatus, players may compete in skill, finesseand judgment to thereby add to the enjoyment of their moments ofleisure.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made inthe form, detail, arrangement and proportions of the various partswithout departing from the general scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Game apparatus comprising an upper deck having an opening therein andhaving an elongate runway communicating with said opening, aplayer-concealed lower deck secured to said upper deck spacedtherebelow, a plurality of runways arranged in side-by-side relation onthe upper surface of said lower deck and extending outwardly to one sidethereof, a ball-directing mechanism inter-posed between said decksincluding a pair of interengaging ball-directing members arranged inupper and lower relation and being mounted for relative shiftingmovement therebetween, one of said members having a plurality ofopenings therein arranged in staggered relation with respect to eachother and each opening communicating with one of said plurality ofrunways, the other of said members cooperating with said one member uponrelative shifting movement of said members to cause a ball moved alongthe runway of said upper deck and impelled through the opening in thelatter to be directed through a preselected one of said openings in saidone member and into its associated lower deck runway.

2. Game apparatus comprising an upper deck having an elongate runway onthe upper surface thereof terminating in an opening formed in said deck,a player-concealed lower deck secured to said upper deck and beingspaced therebelow, a plurality of runways arranged in side-bysiderelation on the upper surface of said lower deck and being inclinedoutwardly to one side thereof, a ball-direct ing mechanism interposedbetween said decks including a pair of substantially horizontallydisposed ball-directing members arranged in upper and lowerinterengaging relation and being pivotally mounted for relative pivotalmovement therebetween, one of said members being dissposed inobstructing relation with respect to said plurality of runways andhaving a plurality of openings arranged in staggered relation withrespect to each other, each opening communicating with one of saidplurality of runways, the other of said members cooperating with saidone member upon relative pivoting movement of said members for causing aball moved along a runway of said upper deck and impelled through theopening in the latter to be directed through a preselected one of saidopenings in said one member and into its associated lower deck runway.

3. The structure as defined in claim 2 and an impeller member shiftablymounted on said upper deck member adjacent the opening in the latter andbeing shiftable to impel a ball through the upper deck opening.

4. The structure as defined in claim 2 wherein the runway in said upperdeck is inclined towards said opening and is of channel-shapedconfiguration having upstanding walls, the opening in said upper deckbeing formed in one of said runway walls.

5. The structure as defined in claim 3 wherein said ball directingmembers are mounted for horizontal pivotal movement about a commonvertical axis.

6. Game apparatus comprising an upper deck having an elongatechannel-shaped runway thereon and having an opening adjacent one end ofsaid runway and communicating therewith, a player-concealed lower decksecured to said upper deck and spaced therebelow, said lower deck havinga plurality of runways arranged in sideby-side relation thereon andbeing inclined outwardly to one side thereof, a ball-directing mechanisminterposed between said decks for guiding a ball from said upper deckrunway to a preselected one of the runways in the lower deck, saidball-directing mechanism including a lower ball-directing memberdisposed in overlying obstructing relation to said plurality of runwaysand being mounted for horizontal pivoting movement relative to said lastmentioned runways, said lower ball-directing member having a pluralityof openings therein arranged in staggered relation with respect to eachother and each opening overlying one of said plurality of runways incommunicating relation therewith, an upper ball-directing memberpositioned upon said lower ball-directing member and being pivotallymounted for horizontal shifting movement relative thereto, said upperball-directing member having an elongate opening therein selectivelypositionable into registering relation with each of the openings of saidlower ball-directing member, said upper ball-directing membercooperating with said lower member upon relative pivoting movement ofsaid members to cause a ball moved along the runway of said upper deckand impelled through the opening in the latter to be directed through apreselected one of said openings in said one member and into itsassociated lower deck runway.

7. The structure as defined in claim 6 wherein said upper and lower balldirecting members are mounted for horizontal pivoting movement about acommon vertical axis.

8. Game apparatus comprising a housing including upstanding peripheralwalls and a generally horizontal upper deck, said upper deck having anelongate inclined runway thereon terminating at one end in an openingformed in said deck, a player-concealed lower deck secured to saidperipheral walls and spaced below said upper deck, said lower deckhaving a plurality of inclined runways arranged in side-by-side relationthereon and extending outwardly through one side wall thereof, aball-directing mechanism interposed between said decks for guiding aball from the runway in the upper deck through said opening in thelatter to a preselected one of the runways on the lower deck, saidball-directing mechanism including a lower ball-directing memberdisposed in overlying obstructing relation to said runways and beingmounted for pivotal movement relative to the latter, said lowerballdirecting member having a plurality of openings therein and arrangedin staggered relation with respect to each other and each communicatingwith one of said plurality of runways, an upper ball-directing memberpositioned on said lower ball-directing member and being mounted forhorizontal pivoting movement relative thereto, said upper membercooperating with said lower member upon relative pivoting movement ofsaid members to cause a ball moved along the runway of said upper deckand impelled through the opening in the latter to be directed through apreselected one of said openings in said one member and into itsassociated lower deck runway.

9. The structure as defined in claim 8 and an impeller member pivotallymounted on said upper deck in close proximity to the opening therein forimpelling a ball through said upper deck opening.

10. The structure as defined in claim 8 and wherein said upper and lowerball directing members are mounted for horizontal movement about acommon vertical axis.

11. The structure as defined in claim 8 wherein said upper and lowerball-directing members are provided with actuating handles projectingoutwardly from opposite peripheral wall portions of said housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS971,726 Bryant Oct. 4, 1910 2,668,057 Fry Feb. 2, 1954 2,810,579 HickeyOct. 22, 1957 2,899,206 Carter Aug. 11, 1959

